Professor Mark Bray Fleeing America After Being Targeted by Right-Wing Harassment

On October 4, Rutgers University historian and author Mark Bray was watching the MLB playoffs when he received an alarming email that changed his life. Bray, known for his book Antifa: The Anti-Fascist Handbook, became the subject of an online campaign accusing him of supporting terrorism. Although the petition against him gathered fewer than 100 signatures, it was amplified by Fox News, leading to widespread threats, including calls for his firing and messages containing his home address.

“I’m not suspected of any crimes. I’m just a professor,” Bray stated. The situation escalated rapidly, with his family’s safety becoming compromised. Eventually, their residence and personal information were leaked on social media, prompting Bray to leave the country with his wife and children on October 9. He plans to teach remotely for the foreseeable future.

This ordeal followed President Trump’s executive order labeling “antifa” a domestic terrorist organization and directing federal agencies to dismantle related activities. Bray’s experience underscores the dangerous climate for political academics amid rising far-right extremism.

Research and Political Activism

Bray, a scholar of modern European history focusing on social movements and antifascism, clarified that he is an advocate opposing fascism, not involved in antifascist groups himself. His research examines how resistance has historically evolved, emphasizing “preventative antifascism”—efforts to thwart far-right influence before it gains power.

He explained that in Europe, post-World War II efforts relied on legal means to ban fascist parties. However, recent far-right resurgences, often rebranded and more insidious, demand grassroots resistance outside state institutions. Bray emphasized that current circumstances resemble a precarious period between 1933 and the passing of the Enabling Act in Nazi Germany, but with no clear historical parallel.

Future of Antifascist Resistance

Bray advocates a new, inclusive, and networked approach to resistance—beyond the strategies of the past. He believes that the resistance will thrive through diverse tactics, decentralized networks, and civil disobedience, rather than centralized leadership, especially as the current administration’s policies resemble fascistic tendencies.

Controversy Over Funding and Terminology

Bray donates proceeds from his book to the International Anti-Fascist Defense Fund, which supports antifascists facing legal challenges, especially in Eastern Europe. This has drawn criticism from right-wing outlets. The term “antifa” itself, originating in Germany and now informally used in the US, describes a loosely organized movement of activists committed to resisting fascism through direct action, not by endorsing violence or censorship.

Looking Ahead

Bray warns that, with the current political trajectory, the US may be nearing a point of no return, akin to the early days of Nazi Germany. Consequently, he’s decided to leave the US temporarily for safety reasons, though he remains committed to resisting fascism and hopes to see a broad, mobilized social movement that can restore democratic norms.